The Corruption Within
by quali-tea-individual
Summary: SPOILERS FOR BL AND PARTS OF OTHER ROUTES! The war is over, Dimitri is about to king, and its seems that all is well in Fodlan. On the surface, at least. Despite their victory, Byleth feels that they missed something. Something dark. As this "something" begins to corrupt her, she can only wonder: is Fodlan truly safe?
1. The Beginning

**The Corruption Within**

_Chapter 1-The Beginning_

"Finally..." Byleth huffed as she reached the top of the goddess tower. Moving to the edge of the railing, she leans against it in order to catch her breath. With her battle wounds not entirely healed yet, the climb up the tower was slightly more strenuous than usual. However, the view she was faced with made the minor struggle incredibly worth it—the sky was absent of any clouds, revealing a beautiful array of stars in a sea of deep blue.

Despite the lack of a constant for most of her life, the night sky always comforted Byleth. Knowing that no matter where she went or what moon it was, the same sky would be up there every night shining down on her.

Gazing up at the sky, she let out a soft sigh before her mind began to drift among the various topics that have been occupying it as of late.

As you may have guessed, she had fallen victim to restlessness yet again.

But who could blame her?

The war her and her students had fought so hard through had finally come to an end. They had seen blood and horror for far too long. They have lost family, former friends; It's more than anyone should have to bare.

But now it's over.

For the first time in a long time, she could breath, if only for a moment.

There was still plenty more to be done, however. Just because the fighting was over, there was still plenty to deal with before Fòdlan could return to its peaceful state. Under its new king, however, that should not be much of a problem.

Through the war, Dimitri had grown to be a capable, compassionate, and all-around strong leader. For much of the latter part of the war, he had already been setting things in place on how the continent was going to rebuild following the devastation of wartime. There was no way Fòdlan, now under the Kingdom of Faerghus' banners could fall with Dimitri at the helm.

He was one of the reasons Byleth was still awake. Perhaps not necessarily due to his impending coronation, but because of how she felt an indescribable warmth every time she thought of him or heard his name.

She loved him, this she was sure of. But when it came down to telling him (or anyone for that matter) of her feelings, she was at a complete loss.

On top of that issue was that of Byleth's also-impending coronation as the Archbishop. The appointment came as a surprise to Byleth as she wholeheartedly expected Seteth to be Rhea's successor once she announced she was stepping down. The request shocked and terrified her so much, she had no other idea but to accept.

"Why me...I don't have any idea how to be an archbishop, or what that even necessarily entails..." Byleth exhaled, slumping farther over the railing.

She was a mercenary, then a professor, then essentially a war hero. None of those three paths gave her any idea on how to move forward with this new role, not to mention that she was not a devout individual. Despite her link with Sothis, Byleth had grown up well outside of the influence of the church, only learning about it after she began teaching at the monastery. Why would a non-devout, non-experienced individual be given a role of such importance?

While it was a relief that the war was over, these new situations weighed on her mind immensely.

Yet, there was another thing keeping her awake.

Despite the victory and the seeming climax of the turmoil in Fòdlan, there was still something unsettling about the situation.

How were people like Kronya, Solon, and Jeritza woven into all of this? What was their goal? Who were they?

More than that, Byleth still knew just as much about herself as she did before the war. What does the link she had with Sothis really mean? Who was her mother, really? What did Rhea do to her as a baby to make Jeralt leave? Why doesn't her heart beat?

It all felt incomplete.

Consumed by her dizzying thoughts, Byleth was completely deaf to the footsteps that approached her from behind.

"Come now, my friend. You must stop staying up so late. Tomorrow is yet another early morning." Dimitri said in a calm, caring voice.

His presence made Byleth jump slightly as she spun around to face him. He was smiling sweetly at her, his one blue eye sparkling. Had she a functioning heart, she was sure it would be fluttering like a panicked butterfly in a cage at the moment.

"Then again, I know that matters very little. You cannot sleep, can you?" He asked.

"N-no... per usual." Byleth stuttered. Regardless of these situations, she always maintained a high level of composure. Yet for whatever reason, her words felt foreign as they left her lips.

Not paying much attention to her verbal stumble, Dimitri continued, "Neither can I, of course..." As he trailed off, he turned his head away and out toward the dark world that surrounded them. "I...I want you to know I am sorry for making you do so much when your battle wounds aren't even completely healed yet."

Byleth's head began to pound like a drum, every pulse hurting more than the last. She wanted to attribute it to the nerves of being alone with the person she loved above all else, yet she was fully aware that she was completely lying to herself. This was not normal.

"And what of yours?" She asked, gripping the railing behind her for support.

"_What's going on with me," she thought, "am I just stressed? Overwhelmed?"_

"Do not worry about me...my shoulder has healed nicely. I still have some numbness in my hand, but it should not hinder me too much." He said, turning his attention to look down at his hand.

He then glanced up at Byleth before quickly averting his gaze up at the sky, a slight rosy tint spreading across his cheeks.

"It is a lovely night...is it not?"

"It... absolutely is..." Byleth struggled to get out. Before either could react, Byleth began to fall onto the railing, clutching her chest where her heart lied motionless. Something felt as if it wanted to tear itself out of her body, fiercely ripping its way through Byleth's flesh with every passing second.

"Byleth?" Dimitri asked worriedly, turning to look at his former professor whose face had drained of all its color.

In an instant, she felt devoid of all strength and collapsed to the ground.

"Beloved?!" Was the final thing she heard before slipping into darkness.

* * *

A/N: Alright! Here is the start of a longer tale! While I love the Blue Lions route, I would love to have had it cover Those Who Slither in the Dark in more detail (though because that's not necessarily what that route was about, it doesn't deter from its greatness). Hopefully I can write a story expanding on the idea as I think it would be pretty cool! It will likely be a while between updates, but I am super excited to begin a long story again! Please let me know what you think thus far!


	2. A Surprise Reunion

**The Corruption Within**

_Chapter 2-A Surprise Reunion_

"Hey…wake-up…"

…

"Wake-up."

…

"WAKE-UP! NOW!"

Byleth shot up, panting heavily as if she were just waking up from a nightmare. Opening her eyes, she found herself not on top of the goddess tower but in a darkened room.

Once her eyes adjusted to the darkness around her, she was greeted by a familiar sight. In front of her was a staircase leading to a throne cloaked in an ethereal emerald glow. However, the throne was empty.

"Where is-"

"Finally! You're awake!" came a familiar shrill voice from behind.

Startled, Byleth spun to find Sothis standing with her arms crossed, bearing a flustered look on her face.

"Sothis?" Byleth asked, eyes wide with bewilderment. She had thought that she would never see or hear from her dear friend again.

"Do not tell me that you have forgotten me!" Sothis squealed in frustration.

"Of course not! I'm just surprised…I've missed you." Byleth replied, a gentle smile spreading across her face.

Calming down slightly, Sothis uncrossed her arms. "I have missed you too. Yet something is obviously wrong. I should not be able to talk to you like this, and you absolutely should not be able to see me."

"But you talked to me a few months ago when you were trying to wake me up. Maybe…" Byleth stopped, unsure of how to proceed with this thought. It was true that she was glad that she could see Sothis again, but why did this happen?

"This is true. You have become even more sleepy than I, it seems." Sothis noted with a bit of annoyance in her voice. "Regardless something…strange happened. You felt immense pain in your chest just now, did you not?"

Gripping her chest, she remembered what all had just transpired and nodded.

"I…I felt it too." Sothis said, also gripping her chest as if she could still feel echoes of the pain, "It was horrible. Like something was gripping onto my heart, trying to tear it out of me."

"I felt the same…" Byleth looked down, unsure of what to make of any of this. Trying to reason with herself, she halfheartedly perked up, "Well, I was with Dimitri! Maybe I just got over-"

"Stop right there." Sothis put a finger to Byleth's lips, "You know that this is not what happened." She removed her finger and threw her hands up into the air. "Honestly, you are but a hopeless child! You cannot even put aside your feelings for this man for one second so that we may figure this out!"

Embarrassed, Byleth apologized, "I'm sorry, I just don't know what it could be…"

"Hmph." Sothis pouted before returning to the matter at hand, "Well, neither do I. In all honesty, I am not sure what to do in this moment. It just feels like something, somewhere in your world has gone terribly wrong. The war is over, yet it feels like-"

"Like something is missing." Byleth finished. Sothis stared at her for a moment, taking in the situation.

"Yes, if you feel the same then something must be wrong." Sothis thought for a moment, "You must discover what it is. I am frightened of what this could mean."

A soft, male voice echoed through the darkened chamber. While faint and unintelligible, the tone was undeniably recognizable.

"It seems as if your lover is trying to wake you up." Sothis smirked. Blushing at the word "lover," Byleth quickly looked away.

"For as much of a pain that you can be, you can be absolutely adorable!" Sothis chuckled. "It is time for you to wake up now, however."

"After we've just been reunited? But-" Byleth begun, before getting cut off again.

"I have a feeling that due to this mysterious occurrence, this will not be our last time speaking to one another. I am not sure how but…regardless, you must not forget to investigate this matter fully! I fear that if left unattended, it could be detrimental to your newly forged world."

Sothis reached her hand out to the confused, weak girl to help lift her from the ground. Sighing, Byleth took it and closed her eyes.

Once again, everything went dark.

"Byleth?" she heard the familiar voice say as her eyelashes began to flutter open.

* * *

A/N: Wow! The response that I've already gotten from people is amazing! Thank you so much for your favorites/follows/reviews—it all means a lot! This chapter is a bit on the short side, but I felt it was an important interlude after what happened at the end of the last chapter. As a quick preview for the next chapter, we'll be focusing a little bit more on Dimitri and what's going on with him during this. It should be cool! Ideas keep popping up, and I am super excited to continue this story. Thanks for reading!


	3. Beloved

The Corruption Within

_Chapter 3-Beloved_

"Beloved?!" Dimitri cried as Byleth slipped away into unconsciousness.

Moving to grab her head before it hit the ground, he cradled the love of his life in his arms.

"She's breathing, but slowly…" He mumbled as he moved a strand of hair from her sleeping face. Despite the situation, his heart began to flutter having her so close to him.

"_She fits so perfectly in my arms…"_ he thought before quickly shaking the idea away.

"This is no time to be thinking of such things." He said to himself as he lifted her up into his arms. With little trouble, he quickly began to descend the stairs of the Goddess Tower with Byleth in tow.

Finally reaching the bottom of the stairs, Dimitri felt his arms begin to droop ever so slightly. While Dimitri had always been an incredibly strong man thanks to his crest, and while Byleth was incredibly light, the descent from the top of the tower at such a speed would tire anyone out, especially someone who had not yet entirely healed from their battle wounds while still carrying a limp individual. As dropping her would be catastrophic, Dimitri quickly knelt to the ground to readjust Byleth's position in his arms as well as to give himself a breather.

This pause allowed him to look upon her face again, only this time he granted himself a little more than a few seconds to bask in her presence.

"Oh, my beloved." He sighed, stroking her delicate cheek with his thumb. His heart full of love, he could not help but lean down to rest his forehead on her own. Dimitri closed his eyes, taking in this moment and selfishly wishing he could stay like this with her forever.

Since the first day he met Byleth, he was immediately intrigued with her existence. How could someone kill so seemingly mercilessly? She was intimidating to Dimitri, to say the least. However, as time went on and the two grew closer, he realized that Byleth was not a merciless killer at all. She cared so deeply for her students and the people around her, and would do whatever she could to protect them.

It came to no surprise for Dimitri when he discovered his true feelings for his dear professor. He was enraptured by her, and more than that, he _trusted_ her. However, once the war broke out and she disappeared, there was nothing holding him back from all the bloodlust he felt he needed to quench. When he saw her for the first time five long years later, his heart would not beat for her like it had all those years prior. He had to atone for his sins. He would not allow it.

Yet she stayed by his side through it all. The worst of his lust for Edelgard's head, Dedue's return, and Rodrigue's sacrifice. She led him out of his darkest time and back into the light of what the future could be through forgiveness and compassion. Without her patience and guidance, the Dimitri that lived today could have been lost to the world forever.

And with his return to the light also came the return of his feelings for Byleth, only stronger and fiercer than ever before. He hungered to be with her every moment he could steal of her time, he craved to hear her say his name. Yet for the greater good of Fódlan, he put his emotions behind him until the war was to come to an end.

Now, the war had ended. While the responsibilities of either party had never ceased to be busy, Dimitri decided it was finally time to tell Byleth how deeply he felt for her.

Lifting his head from hers, he reached into his pocket to reveal a sparkling emerald ring. Looking from it to her, he sighed and returned it to his pocket.

"Oh, come Dimitri. Pull yourself together. This can wait, she could be in danger!" He exclaimed. As he did so, Byleth's body convulsed wildly as if startled, yet she did not wake.

Shocked and confused, Dimitri quickly stood with her in his arms and began sprinting toward the infirmary.

"_What just happened?"_ he thought amidst his jog, _"I truly do not believe my yelling to be the cause of her spasm, but then…what could it have been?"_

Finally reaching the infirmary, he yelled for Manuela and Mercedes to wake up as he briskly but gently placed Byleth on one of the beds. After realizing who it was that had called for them, as well as who was now laying on the bed, the two healers got to work in diagnosing the issue immediately.

"I think she's passed out." Manuela assessed.

"Yes, Manuela. I have gathered that much myself. Can you discover why?" Dimitri replied, annoyed. While he knew Manuela to have a talent for this kind of stuff, now was not the time for her idle chatter.

"Dimitri," Mercedes asked as calm and collected as ever, "When did this all happen?"

"Perhaps twenty…thirty minutes ago? I found her in the Goddess Tower, and we began talking. Then…" Dimitri began to relay before being cut off by the two overly excited women.

"Did you tell her yet?" Manuela demanded.

"Ooh! This is so exciting and romantic! In the Goddess Tower!" Mercedes exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

"No." Dimitri scolded, quieting the other two down immediately. "No, I did not ask her. I did not have the time before she spontaneously passed out. Will you two please figure out WHY this happened. Otherwise, I might never get the chance to ask her to marry me. So please do your jobs, and we can talk about this later." Dimitri roared, feeling himself start to lose his temper.

In fear of a meltdown, the two quickly got to work, beginning with checking Byleth's vitals. Seeing their change in focus, Dimitri quickly calmed down and returned his attention to his love sprawled out on the tiny bed. Wishing he could be next to her, holding her hand through all of this, he hovered to the side in order to allow Manuela and Mercedes space to work.

"Her pulse in normal." Manuela declared, "Let me check her heartbeat…" She grabbed a nearby stethoscope and put it to Byleth's heart.

Suddenly, Manuela stopped moving as if in utter shock.

"What is it, Manuela?" Mercedes asked, concern in her voice. Dimitri looked up to face the older medic, as well.

Realizing her pause in action, Manuela regained her movement and quickly took the stethoscope out of her ears and off Byleth's chest.

"Oh, nothing! Nothing, nothing, nothing! Perfectly normal!" She exclaimed boisterously, followed by a bout of overly excited laughter.

"It, um, seems as if she was just over exhausted, or dehydrated when she passed out. She will be just fine!" Manuela explained to the unconvinced Dimitri.

"But Byleth just-" Dimitri began before being hastily cut off by Manuela. "Just watch over her Dimitri! I'm sure with you around, she'll be feeling better in no time." She winked, before pulling Mercedes into the hallway.

Dimitri was flabbergasted at Manuela's diagnosis. _"Is that really all it could be? And what was going on with Manuela just now?"_

Before he could think about it more, he noticed Byleth's eyes quickly fluttering open.

"Belove-I mean, Byleth?" Dimitri exclaimed, coming closer to her and grabbing her hand in his own.

"Dim-Dimitri?" Byleth weakly asked as her eyes fully opened, unveiling her radiant jade eyes.

"Oh, my dear friend you're awake! I was so worried-" Dimitri started to say before the doors to the infirmary were flung open. Standing in the doorway was none other than Dedue with a look of dark concern on his face.

"Your majesty, something serious has happened."

* * *

A/N: And that's where we'll stop for tonight! It took me a little longer than I wanted to get this one out, but inspiration strikes at the strangest of times! I can't promise when the next update will be as my LAST fall semester ever starts tomorrow! However, I have full intentions to keep up with this story to the best of my ability. I have big plans for things to come!

As always, thank you all for your support! Every follow/favorite/review means the world to me! I hope this chapter does not disappoint!


	4. Spears of Light

The Corruption Within

_Chapter 4-Spears of Light_

"Mercedes, her heart wasn't beating." Manuela said in a serious tone as she rushed to close the infirmary doors.

"Oh Manuela! That's silly! Obviously, the Professor isn't dead, she was breathing!" Mercedes laughed cheerfully.

"Yes, exactly. Doesn't that freak you out at all?" Manuela questioned, looking back at the closed door.

"Well, maybe your stethoscope was just broken! Truly Manuela, how could her heart not beat?" Mercedes continued to laugh in disbelief. Yet Manuela was not so sure that this was something as simple as a broken stethoscope.

"_Obviously, she's not dead,"_ Manuela thought, _"But then what is she?"_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a mass of a man making his way toward the infirmary.

"Ah! Dedue! It's so good to see you!" Mercedes sang to the king's closest confidant.

"Mercedes. Manuela. Is his Majesty in the infirmary with her Grace?" Dedue asked urgently.

Surprised by the formal titles, it takes a moment for Manuela to realize who he was talking about.

"Dimitri and Byleth? Yes, they're-" Manuela began before Dedue hastily pushed open the infirmary doors.

"Your majesty, something serious has happened." Dedue announced sternly before taking a second to notice the scene in front of him. Dimitri, kneeling next to Byleth's weakened body with all the love in the world for her in his singular eye. Even for a quick second, Dedue could not help but smile internally at the idea that his majesty and closest friend had found someone whom he cared for so deeply. Remembering his duty, he shook it off quickly.

"Dedue, what is it?" Dimitri asked as he stood abruptly and attentively. Byleth attempted to sit up and readjust her aching, tired body in order to face Dedue. Upon sitting upright, she began to feel lightheaded again which forced her to lean against the metallic headboard for support.

"Fort Merceus has been…destroyed." He said, hint of true worry finding its way through his otherwise stoic voice.

"What?" Dimitri exclaimed, gripping the side of Byleth's bed in shock. "How could this be?" Dimitri's grip tightened around the side of the mattress until his hands turned a deep plum. How could he have just fought so hard to win this land and one of his occupations had already been decimated by some unforeseen force?

"Dedue, please continue." Byleth urged calmly. Despite her shock at the news, she hoped that if she handled this well, Dimitri might too.

"We were sending supplies to the fort to help the civilians that resided there. Reports from our soldiers who were on their way there note giants spears of light coming from the sky. In an instant…" Dedue paused, noticing Dimitri's growing frustration with this situation as it unraveled.

As if an automatic reaction and without taking her eyes off of Dedue, Byleth quietly moved her hand atop one of tensed Dimitri's hands. His hand, while soft as always, felt hot beneath her cool touch. He was very apparently stressed. If this small gesture could help him calm down even a little, that would be enough for Byleth.

"Go on." She said, not even noticing that she had begun to stroke Dimitri's hand with her thumb.

"In an instant, the fort was gone. It's people, our supplies…everything." Dedue concluded, solemnly lowering his head.

"No survivors…at all?" Dimitri pleaded, hoping that even if there were a few, he could at least help them.

"None…the reports say that the damage was devastating." Dedue responded as stoically as possible. However, he was just as surprised as anyone to receive a report like this so soon after they had just taken back Fodlan.

Dimitri reluctantly left Byleth's grip in order to pace the spot next to her bed.

"I need to talk with the witnesses. I need to gleam whatever information I can about these spears of light." Dimitri remarked defiantly.

"Let me come too." Byleth chimed in.

"Absolutely not." Dimitri rebuffed, kneeling to her side once more."Please, Byleth. You must stay here and rest, if even for just a little bit longer." He pleaded sweetly, with a small and kind, yet utterly concerned smile on his face.

"I need to also know what's going on in my domain." She said, attempting to put on a more confident, healthier act in hopes that he would give in and let her come along.

"And I need you to rest so that you can make well-considered decisions based on the what we find out. I simply cannot let anything bad happen to you." Dimitri retaliated, trailing off on the last bit so that only Byleth could hear.

Blushing, she agreed, "Please just report back to me as soon as you discover any new information. I don't want to be rendered useless simply because I fainted."

"You'll be the first to know of any developments." Dimitri said, standing up again to leave with Dedue. "I'll come back to you soon. Please rest well."

"Mhm." Was all Byleth could muster before involuntarily shuffling back down into a more comfortable position. Suddenly, she began to get very, very sleepy again.

"Sleep well…" Dimitri sang with a smile on his way out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Despite her tiredness, Byleth could still sense that something was horribly wrong within the deeper realms of Fódlan.

"_Spears of light destroying the Impregnable Fortress?" _She thought. _"How is that even possible?"_

Her mind was consumed by thoughts of this new development, but as much as she tried to fight to stay awake to think about it all more, she drifted back off to sleep.

* * *

A/N: Hello all! WOW! The response for this story is overwhelming! My heart jumps everytime I see anything about a new follower or favorite—it's fantastic!

I'm sorry that this one is a bit more filler than actually, nitty-gritty content, but I'm still working on finding my voice in this tale. Please bear with me! I'm also VERY tired at the time that I am finishing this, so hopefully there are no huge errors throughout this one. I just really wanted to get something up!

As always, please feel free to let me know what you think about the story so far! I can't wait to hear from you!


	5. The Show Must Go On

The Corruption Within

_Chapter 5-The Show Must Go On_

Feeling a sudden press on her chest, Byleth opened her eyes. Rather than finding herself safe in the infirmary, she found herself in a darkened corridor. She did not recognize this place from any of her other dreams, yet there was something oddly familiar and disturbing about it.

"_Hello?" _She called out. The only response was her own voice echoing its way through the hall. Slowly, she began walking aimlessly forward, not knowing what could possibly be ahead. As she walked, she began to hear faint footsteps behind her.

She stopped and turned around. The footsteps stopped mere beats after Byleth did.

"_Hello?!"_ she called out with more ferocity. She could barely see anything in the dark, so she would have no way of knowing if someone was following her or not. But she knew what she heard.

Taking a risk, rather than continuing forward, she began to run back from where she came from.

Suddenly, the footsteps picked up again only faster, louder, and still from behind her.

Byleth began to panic, unsure of what to make of this situation. When facing an enemy head on, she had almost always been fearless. Yet an enemy she could not see, or even knew if they were there? It instilled a fear within her that she had not felt before. As she ran, she occasionally twisted her head behind her to try to catch a glimpse of her mysterious pursuer.

"_Nothing? But how?"_ Byleth panicked. She continued to pick up speed until she felt a sharp pain rip through her chest.

* * *

Byleth darted up from her infirmary bed, clutching her chest and panting heavily. Mercedes rushed over to her side, grabbing her hand and placing her other hand on Byleth's back.

"Professor, you're okay! Please, try to breath." She said calmly. Finally, Byleth regained her breath and sense of where she was, and crumpled into Mercedes' arms.

"What happened?" Mercedes asked, stroking Byleth's face.

"I think…just a bad dream…"

"Professor, maybe you should get back to sle-" Mercedes began.

"No!" Byleth jumped out of Mercedes' arms. Realizing her reaction, she quickly cleared her throat and attempted to regain her composure, "Actually, I think it might be for the best for me to…get up and walk around for a little."

"Hmm…I'm not sure. It's still so early in the morning, and today is a big da-"

"Please, Mercedes." Byleth pleaded. Hesitantly, but with an ever-comforting and genuine smile, Mercedes nodded and allowed Byleth to get out of the bed.

Taking care to not stand up too quickly, Byleth crawled out of the bed, gathered her few belongings, and made her way out of the infirmary.

As the sun began to peek through the windows of the monastery, Byleth found herself wandering through the various corridors of Garreg Mach.

"_What is going on with me?"_ She wondered, making her way through the second-floor halls

Eventually, she found herself outside of the Cardinal's Room. Dimitri's voice boomed from inside of the room and immediately snapped her out of her trance.

"Completely destroyed?" Dimitri cried in disbelief.

Byleth thought to knock but stopped herself as she had a feeling that Dimitri would only stop the conversation and shoo her away to go rest some more. While the thought of him caring so much made her blush, there were much more important matters at hand. Instead, she decided to stand outside and eavesdrop.

"Yes, your majesty. You have heard it from the witnesses themselves. None of our troops have any idea where these spears of light came from either. Some say it must have been the work of dark magic, yet we have no proof." Dedue responded.

"This is unbelievable. I-I don't even know where to begin…" Dimitri stated exasperatingly. Byleth could hear him collapse into a chair toward the front of the room.

"_He must have been talking to witnesses all morning. He's probably so tired…"_ Byleth thought as she leaned her head on the door to listen further.

"I think our first order of business is to halt the coronation." Dimitri stated bluntly.

"_The coronation?" _With everything that had been going on, Byleth had nearly forgotten that the coronation was, in fact, today.

"But your majesty-" Dedue began.

"Dedue, how could we possibly think about a coronation right now after the supposedly impregnable fortress was just destroyed in one fell swoop?" Byleth heard his footsteps approach closer to the door.

"Plus, I'm not sure Byleth could handle such an event right now…I still do not entirely know what happened to her…" He said softly, concern filling his voice, "I don't want to put her in danger."

"I understand. Unfortunately, there are only a few more hours until the ceremony is to take place and several guests have already arrived. The food for the ball afterwards has already started to be prepared. It would be difficult to cancel the event now." Dedue stated. He understood his liege's plight, but he also knew that putting off the coronations of both the new King and Archbishop would only have a detriment on public opinion.

Dimitri sighed, "Very well…but let me at least consult with Byleth. I do not want to put her in any potentially dangerous situation."

Byleth was now lost in her own thoughts-Fort Merceus, Dimitri, her condition, the coronation, these strange dreams; it was all too much.

Suddenly, she felt the door push outwards, causing her to be pushed backwards and onto the ground.

"Byleth? What are you doing here?" Dimitri asked, surprised. He quickly bent down to help her up, taking her hand in one of his own and placing the other on the small of her back.

"I, uh…was just-"

"Eavesdropping?" Dimitri smirked.

Sighing, Byleth admitted defeat and smiled back at Dimitri. Finally noticing how close their bodies had gotten in the moment, they both blushed. Dimitri quickly released her from his pseudo-embrace and pulled Byleth to her feet.

"So…now that you have heard everything, how do you feel about continuing with the coronation? Obviously, I do not want you to stress yourself if you are still feeling unwell…" Dimitri pressed, concern drenching his voice.

"Dimitri, I promise it's fine. I feel…fine." Byleth stated, though not quite convinced herself. So much was happening all at once. But for the sake of at least getting this one thing done for Fódlan and off of Dimitri's plate, then she was more than willing to do it.

Dimitri, despite unconvinced that she was in any position to carry on with the activities of the day, knew that she was not going to take no for an answer. He would just have to trust her and stow his worries for now.

"Alright then, your grace," Dimitri began as he gently rested his hand on Byleth's shoulder, flashing her a small smile, "Then the show must go on."

* * *

A/N: First off, I'm_ really_ sorry that this chapter is kind of hot garbage! I needed another filler/gap chapter before I could move on with some of the bigger plot points. But next time will be the coronation so who knows what will happen there!

As always, thanks for reading! I'll be better next time!


	6. Coronation Preparations

The Corruption Within

_Chapter 6-Coronation Preparations_

"Oh Byleth, you look fantastic! So majestic and regal!" Annette cried as she finished curling Byleth's hair.

"Yes! You're absolutely looking like an archbishop now!" Ingrid cheered, clasping her hands together. Since giving Dimitri the go-ahead for the coronation, Byleth's morning had been mostly consumed with getting herself ready for the ceremony.

Byleth began to observe herself in the mirror. What she was wearing was not much different than the "enlightened one" garb that she often wore into battle. It was obviously a lot cleaner, and rather than having a shirt and shorts underneath the majestic cloak, Byleth wore a tight, knee-length, v-neck black dress with gold embroidery and deep purple accents. The tall, gold collar sat perfectly around her neck, and both arms of the cloak draped down to her elbows. Instead of armor, Byleth's forearms were adorned with golden bracelets. While Rhea had insisted that Byleth wear a headdress similar to her own, Byleth opted for a smaller, less heavy gold crown embedded with amethysts. Byleth's light green hair cascaded into curls, and her face was covered with a thin veil of makeup.

Barely able to recognize herself, she sighed. Of course she was grateful for the help the girls gave her, but this was not her. Why did there need to be such a fuss about what she looked like? Her duty was to lead, not to look good.

It was to be a long day. The actual ceremony was first on the agenda. Byleth had to be named as the new archbishop by Rhea first, and then immediately after she would crown Dimitri as king. Her first decree as archbishop was going to be appointing the new king of Fodlan. No big deal.

Following the ceremony would be a big dinner, hosting all lords and ladies from around the country, as well as several royals from our newfound foreign allegiances, such as the new queen of Brigid, Petra, and Almyra's surprise new king, Claude von Riegan. The good news is that none of these nobles were new faces; they were all either former students or Byleth had met them during the war. Regardless, it would be a lot of people.

And finally, a ball. This would be the first time Garreg Mach has held a ball since nearly almost six years ago come the ethereal moon. It was sure to be a party, but not a party Byleth knew if she was ready for. She loved spending time with her students, but with so much on her mind right now, she really was not confident in her abilities to be a sociable hostess.

However, it was nearly time and Byleth needed to start mentally preparing herself for the day ahead.

"Thank you both for helping me." Byleth said with a smile.

"Of course! Absolutely anything help." Annette exclaimed, embracing her former professor around the shoulders.

"It's almost time!" Ingrid began, "We're all ready, so we can escort you to the cathedral." Both women were dressed in long gowns that resembled the typical colors that they normally wore. Byleth almost envied them for having much simpler and comfier attire, but decies to stow her feelings for the sake of focusing on the task at hand.

Finally, Byleth had made it to the outside doors of the cathedral with Annette and Ingrid. The whole trek over consisted of the women trying to make lighthearted jokes about the ceremony to help ease Byleth's obvious nervousness. It did not work in the slightest, but Byleth appreciated their attempts.

She had to remember so much about the proceedings of the ceremony. Her coronation was easy, she just had to follow Rhea's lead. No, she was far more worried about screwing up the new king's coronation. This was going to be her first impression as the new archbishop, and needless to say, it was a big impression to make. She had been rehearsing her lines ever since Rhea had appointed her as her successor, and still did not feel confident. Regardless, there was nothing that could be done about it now.

Awaiting in front of the giant doors was Dimitri, standing tall and proud, accompanied by Dedue as usual. He was donned in a black suit silver suit with deep blue accents. Behind him draped a giant blue and silver cloak with the sigil of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus outlined in bronze. Upon seeing Byleth, he became bashful and began to blush profusely. Noticing this change in demeanor, Dedue couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

Seeing him produced a similar reaction from Byleth, though she tried her hardest to hide it. Ingrid and Annette gave one another a knowing smile as they approached the soon-to-be king.

"Your-your grace." Dimitri said bashfully, giving Byleth a slight bow.

"Your highness." Byleth replied, replicating Dimitri's nervous formalities.

"Alright, you two love birds it's almost time for the show!" A familiar, goofy voice called out, causing the two to blush even harder and turn away as fast as they could from one another to find the source of the voice.

On cue, Sylvain came strolling toward the others with his hands casually stretched behind his head. In tow were the rest of the former Blue Lions class, Felix begrudgingly following behind Sylain, Ashe looking as happy as ever, and Mercedes smiling alongside him.

As Sylvain approached, Ingrid ran up to him and grabbed his ear, pulling him away from the rest of the group.

"You imbecile! They're already nervous enough as it is! Why would you even say something like that!" Ingrid exclaimed, finally releasing Sylvain from her grasp.

"Ouch! Oh c'mon Ingrid! They're engaged! It's okay to poke a little fun!" Sylvain said with a wink.

"Oh my goddess, you really are stupid. They are not engaged yet, didn't you hear?"

"Uh. What?" Sylvain asked, shocked.

"Yeah. Dimitri didn't get to propose because Byleth passed out right before!"

"Huh, Dimitri has more game than I thought! Making a woman pass out before he even has the chance to propose?" Sylvain pondered, wondering just how Dimitri could accomplish such a feat all on his own.

"Sylvain, that's not-" Ingrid began.

"Well hopefully Ashe or Felix doesn't say anything about it because we were definitely under the impression that it happened."

"Oh goddess." Ingrid groaned before running back to the group. She could see Felix talking to Byleth and Dimitri, looking like he was about to ask a question.

"So you two, when's the we- AH"

"WE really all should be going!" Ingrid intervened, pushing Felix out of the way before he could finish the question. "It's almost time for the ceremony to start, and we should give you guys some time to mentally prepare. Let's go everyone! Move it into the cathedral!" She shouted, ushering the others along with her.

Confused, but scared to defy Ingrid, everyone bid their well wishes to the two and made their way inside.

Once they were gone, Byleth and Dimitri sighed a breath of relief and then laughed.

"That group never ceases to amaze me." Byleth exclaimed with a genuine smile.

"Agreed. They all have their quirks but I wouldn't trade a single one of them." Dimitri agreed. The two remained silent for a few nervous moments before Dimitri decided to finally break the silence. "Are you nervous?"

"Absolutely and entirely." Byleth confessed, her voice wavering. "Dimitri, I still don't know if I can do this. Be archbishop, I mean."

Dimitri turned to face her, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Byleth, I promise you that there is no better person for the job. You will lead the church with grace, dignity, and wisdom. But more than that, you will lead it with a kind and gentle heart. It is your destiny to lead, and I know I wouldn't rather have anyone else in this position in my kingdom."

Byleth sighed, smiling brightly at Dimitri, "Hm, it's interesting to have you comforting me for a change."

"Ha, I suppose you're right." Dimitri laughed, dropping his hand from her shoulder, only to have Byleth take it into her own hand.

"But I will trust you. I only hope that I can do your kingdom justice." Byleth smiled, giving Dimitri's hand a tight squeeze.

In a spontaneous moment of confidence and anxiety, Dimitri reached into his suit pocket. "Byleth, I must ask-"

"Your grace, your majesty, it's time to begin." Seteth said, appearing aside the couple with an eager Flayn following behind.

"Oh! I am so excited to watch this ceremony! Professor, you look BEAUTIFUL!" Flayn exclaimed, grabbing Byleth's free hand.

"Oh, thank you, Flayn!" Byleth said, smiling at the girl. Dimitri could only laugh as once again, he would have to wait to confess his feelings to the love of his life.

"Are you two ready?" Seteth asked with a proud smile. Looking at them, he knew instantly that these two would lead Fodlan into a bright, bright future.

Looking at each other, and then Seteth, the two nodded.

Dimitri offered his arm to Byleth with a warm smile. Blushing slightly, she took it, and the two made their way through the massive cathedral doors.

* * *

A/N: SURPRISE. I bet you weren't expecting another chapter so soon! Honestly, I wasn't either. I hope this can make up a little for last night's bleh chapter. A little more content, plus the introduction of some familiar faces! I've already started writing the next chapter, but that one will likely be massive as it's the ball, so it likely won't be up for a little while.

Anyways, thank you for your support! See you next time!


	7. The Dual Coronations

**The Corruption Within**

_Chapter 7-The Dual Coronations_

Byleth and Dimitri were met with a round of thunderous applause as they made their way out of the cathedral, waving to all of those who came from far and near to celebrate the dual coronations.

Though she put on a smile for the onlookers, inwardly, Byleth took a long sigh of relief. "_It's finally over…"_

Despite Byleth's initial nervousness, both ceremonies went particularly well. Starting with Byleth's ceremony, Rhea, ever elegant, performed her part of the coronation with such dignified grace that the new archbishop could only hope to replicate.

When it came time for Byleth to crown Dimitri as king, she was terrified. His ceremony was performed only mere moments after the clapping and cheering had ceased for her own. Despite her nerves, she got through the proceedings completely unscathed, even surprising herself with how well she recited her lines. When she felt her nerves were starting to get the better of her, she would avert her eyes from the crowd and would sneak a peek at Dimitri as he kneeled in front of her. Without fail, he would be gazing up at her with the most genuine, supportive smile he could give.

As if put under some spell of courage cast simply by his gaze, she would find her scripted lines flowing out her mouth with smoothness and grace, harboring a tone of sincerity.

Once Byleth had finally placed the crown on Dimitri's head and he arose from the ground, the audience erupted. Byleth could see her former students celebrating towards the front, whooping and cheering, some even tearing up. On the opposite side was Seteth, Flayn, Manuela, Hanneman, and several other Garreg Mach regulars. Seteth and Hanneman were smiling proudly, while Flayn and Manuela sobbed loudly into each other's arms. Rhea stood off to the side, gently clapping with a warm, motherly smile.

Finally, Byleth gazed up to look upon Fodlan's new king. Dimitri was smiling ear to ear with one happy tear sliding down his cheek as he looked towards the audience. His face softened even more when he looked to her, and Byleth could feel her face get hot under his gaze. Despite her initial hesitations towards the ceremony and her new position in general, seeing the happiness in her friends' faces and standing next to the person that she loved more than anything made her believe that all of this was going to be worth it. With Dimitri and her friends by her side, together they would make Fodlan a brighter, better place for all.

But right now, looking out at the citizens and guests, Byleth was exhausted. And the day was far from over.

Finally, the announcement was made by Seteth that the new King and Archbishop shall retire for a short while before the large feast and ball. Dimitri and Byleth gave their final waves before making their way back into the monastery. Once they were far enough away from the crowds, both let out a heavy, audible sigh.

"Well, your grace, we've done it!" Dimitri laughed, still on a high from the excitement that just ensued, but noticeably more exhausted than he was before the ceremony.

"That we have. Yet the night is still far from over." Byleth exhaled.

"That is true. But it is a celebration, is it not? Despite our exhaustion, I insist that we enjoy ourselves to the best of our ability." Dimitri beamed resiliently. Byleth stared at him curiously for a moment, proceeding to giggle at his unwavering enthusiasm. Dumbfounded, Dimitri stared at Byleth as her tired giggling turned into wild cackling. While Byleth had become more open with her emotions since the two first met, her wildly giggling out of nowhere was still a rare phenomenon.

"My, you really are tired." Dimitri stated, before beginning to laugh himself. Their laughter quickly died down and the two quickly regained composure following the passing of several Garreg Mach guards. Once they were out of earshot, the two let out a few final chuckles before Byleth continued.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it! You're just so happy… and it makes me happy."

Dimitri stared at Byleth in awe for a moment, unsure of how to react to such sweet and genuine statement. Had he had the same amount of anxious spontaneity that he had earlier within him now, he would have gotten down on one knee—no gotten down on both knees and begged her to marry him. Instead, he impulsively grabbed her hand, and began to gaze into her eyes.

"Thank you for that, Byleth. It, too, makes my heart happy to see you smile and laugh so joyously like this," Feeling his face beginning to redden, he averted his gaze down at her hand and said the only thing he could think of, "If you would do me the honor, would you allow me to reserve you for a dance this evening at the ball?"

Byleth was now the one rendered speechless as she gazed dreamily at her hand wrapped in Dimitri's, "O-of course! I would love to!" She responded, giving Dimitri's hand a tight squeeze of affirmation.

Dimitri exhaled out a sigh of relief. "Wo-wonderful! I will be looking forward to it." He looked up again and flashed Byleth one of his signature soft smiles before releasing his grasp on her delicate hand.

"Ahem."

"Ah! Seteth! He-Hello!" Dimitri exclaimed.

"Your Grace, your Majesty." Seteth addressed, a knowing smile on his face. "I hate to interrupt, but it is time for the feast to begin and your presence is required in order for the festivities to commence."

"Of course! We're ready to go." Byleth stated. She knew she was not really ready, but the sooner they make it through the feast, the sooner she got to spend some more time with Dimitri without the formalities.

"However, before that, there is someone who would like to speak with you." Seteth stepped to the side, revealing a familiar tan, dark haired man donned in elegant yellow dressing robes and bearing a large, flashy smile on his face.

"Teach! Dimitri! It's been way too long." Claude exclaimed, walking over to the two.

"Claude!" Byleth exclaimed, opening her arms to receive him. Despite him never actually being her student and despite the few times the two have had to face off in battle, Byleth had always had the utmost respect and adoration for Claude. He was a strong leader with amazing ideas for the future. He was also an amazing friend, having made sure to stay in contact after he officially left Fodlan to go lead Almyra.

"Oh Teach! Lovely as ever, even in these stuffy threads!" Claude said as he squeezed her. "And his Majesty himself! Leader of a new, free Fodlan." Claude released Byleth and extended his hand toward Dimitri. Dimitri took Claude's hand firmly in his own, both as a sign of respect and because a firm handshake is the closest that he could get to ripping Claude's arms off after hugging Byleth so enthusiastically.

"Claude! How are things in Almyra?" Dimitri inquired politely.

"We've got a long way to go," Claude laughed, "But I'm confident for our future. Just like I'm confident that the two of you will do a great job with this land."

"Thank you, Claude. It means a lot." Byleth responded, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"_Dimitri, she's only doing that because they are friends! They have been, there's nothing romantic about this gesture!"_ Dimitri thought in attempt to soothe his jealously, but to little avail.

"Well, I just wanted to say hello before the two of you get too bogged down with the whole meet-and-greet deal that this dinner is about to become. Good luck out there, you two! Teach, save me a dance!" Claude shouted as he walked away back toward the dining hall.

Dimitri felt his face flush with frustration as Byleth waved goodbye to the Almyran king. He began to become consumed by thoughts of jealously and sadness, completely deaf to Byleth saying his name.

"Dimitri?" She called for a final time, placing a hand on his shoulder and snapping him out of his trance.

"Are you ready?" Byleth asked, confused at Dimitri's immediate change in behavior. She would have to ask him about that later.

Dimitri hesitated for a moment before responding. Finally, he gives her a grin and nodded his head. This time, Byleth extended her arm for him to take, and the two made their way toward the dining hall.

* * *

A/N: Well, I suppose I unintentionally lied about the ball being in this chapter! It was going to be, but this started to get longer, and now I'm sleepy and yadda yadda yadda. But the good news is that I'll likely be able to update again within the next few days! Plus, who is going to complain about a little more Dimileth?

As always, thank you for reading!


	8. Waltz Under the Moonlight

**The Corruption Within**

_Chapter 8—Waltz Under the Moonlight_

The dining hall had been decorated in beautiful blue tapestries and was lit with dozens upon dozens of silver candles. The long tables were adorned with royal blue table cloths and magnificent centerpieces, beautiful china, and shining silver cutlery. Byleth's eyes became wide with amazement after seeing how Garreg Mach's simple dining hall could be transformed into something so spectacular.

Upon entering, Dimitri and Byleth were met with the same enthusiastic applause as earlier. The two quickly disconnected their arms, and Dimitri motioned to the crowd to settle down.

"Thank you all for coming to celebrate this incredibly happy occasion! I think I speak for myself and the archbishop that your attendance is greatly appreciated. Please, enjoy the food, drink, and the dancing that is to follow!"

Byleth looked up at Dimitri, admiring his dignified and confident composure. "_It's crazy to think that Dimitri was a shell of a man only a few short months ago, and now he has completely transformed into a capable leader." _Byleth thought, smiling to herself.

"_My, I see why you like him so much." _Sothis' voice rang in Byleth's head.

"_Sothis! You're back again?" _

"_Yes, but I am still not sure how or for how long. No matter for now though, you have business to attend to!" _Sothis finished just as Byleth noticed that Dimitri was speaking to her.

"Byleth? Are you alright?"

"Yes! Sorry, I'm just tired." Dimitri's face turned dark with concern, "Are you sure you are well enough for this? If you must, you can return to your chambers—"

"No! No, I'm fine I promise," Byleth flashed him a smile. Seeing this visibly relaxes Dimitri, "Alright then, shall we take our seats?" Byleth nodded and followed him to the head of the table.

"_Even now, you get so distracted when I talk to you!" _Sothis exclaimed as Byleth took her seat.

"_I'm sorry! I wasn't expecting you to pop into my head so suddenly after not being there for so long!" _Byleth retorted. A waiter came to her side, placing a decorated plate of bourgeois pike in front of her. _"Mmm, so fancy! If only I could have a taste—" _

"_Oh, now look at who is getting distracted! Sothis, as happy as I am to have you back, I still have no clue as to why, or about what's going on with me."_

"_Yes, I understand. I am…frightened by how little we know of what is going on here…" _Sothis began, _"But! Tonight is a happy night! We have plenty of time to discuss this after your celebration is all said and done!"_

Byleth moved to pick up her knife and fork, but paused after hearing Sothis' words, _"What if we don't have time?"_

Sothis hesitated before responding, _"Just…trust me. Try to have a good time tonight, alright?"_ Byleth mentally nodded her head and continued picking up her silverware.

While this is happening, Dimitri could not help but wonder what was wrong. _"Is she sick? Is it something I said? Something someone else said, then I'll—" _His mind began to race. Then he noticed her slow, hesitant movements. Her eyes were focused, but worried, as if she was listening to someone tell her some unfortunate news._ "No,"_ he thought, _"This is something much deeper. Something she will not tell me about until she is ready."_

The rest of the coronation dinner went about as well as anyone could expect. Old friendships reconnecting, new ones forging, and plenty of food for all who were in attendance. Byleth found herself cheering up once the main course was completed and decided that now would be a good time for mingling before the dessert came out.

Byleth got up from her seat and made her way toward some familiar faces formally from the Golden Deer house: Hilda, Marianne, and Ignatz. While they were never in her class, Byleth came to know and love several students from the other houses as well, even the unofficial Ashen Wolves house. When it came to the war, she found it too hard to kill really any of them. In the case of the Golden Deer and the Ashen Wolves, it was a bit easier to spare their lives as they were a lot more willing to join forces. The Black Eagles, however, were a different story. Many feared what Edelgard and Hubert would do to their families or loved ones were they to switch sides. Some did, like Petra and Dorothea, but some fought until the very end like Caspar and Linhardt. Byleth was not the one to slay them, and she simultaneously was grateful and guilty for that fact.

Watching her take a seat by the former Golden Deer students, Dimitri became distracted from his current conversation with Hilda's older brother, Holst. _"What can I do to help her? She looks better now, but—" _his thoughts were interrupted when he notices a familiar brown haired, tan young man also walk over to the table and take a seat right next to Byleth.

"Claude…" Dimitri mumbled under his breath.

"What?" Holst asked, bringing Dimitri back to his previous conversation.

"Oh, nothing! Now, where were we?" Holst gave the flustered king a skeptical look but continues his war stories anyway.

Dimitri knew henceforth that he would have to keep an eye on Claude. Nothing was going to get in between him and Byleth.

After the attendees had all finished their desert of saghert and cream, it was time to relocate to the reception hall where the ball would take place. Like the dining hall, the reception hall was decorated in the same colors, only with cleared space for dancing and a small orchestra in the corner that was warming up. All those who entered the room naturally formed a large circle around the center of the dance floor which Dimitri and Byleth made their way toward.

Before speaking again, Dimitri looked down at Byleth who was busy admiring the decorations. "Byleth." He whispered. Catching her attention, she looked up. "Would you still be willing to dance with me?" He asked shyly.

Blushing, Byleth nodded in agreement. Dimitri blushed and grinned widely at her one more time before looking up to address the room.

"Thank you again for joining us for the evening. We know it has been a long string of events, but we are eternally grateful for your presence. Now if we may—" He paused as a waiter handed him and Byleth a glass of dark red wine, "Let us all raise a glass in honor of new beginnings and for a brighter future for all—To Fódlan!" Dimitri raised his glass as the rest of the room echoed "To Fódlan!" There was a moment of silence as everyone chugged their drink, followed by excited cheers and clapping. "Now," Dimitri beamed, "Let the dancing begin!"

The same waiter returned to take the empty glasses, asking if the two would like a refill. Both nodded enthusiastically, and the waiter excused himself to retrieve the drinks. After the day they had, both the new king and archbishop were going to need a little bit of liquid courage to help with the socializing and the dancing.

As the first waltz of the night begins, Dimitri turned to Byleth, giving her a slight bow and extending his gloved hand, "Shall we?"

Just as Byleth was about to put her hand in his, she found herself swooped away by a familiar red-haired man. "Sorry, your majesty! I had to take my chance while I could!" Sylvain called after his childhood friend who was now left in his wake wearing an expression of both frustration and utter shock.

"Sylvain! What did you do that for?!" Byleth chided as the pair waltzed around.

"Oh c'mon, your Graceliness! If I didn't take up the chance now, I would never get to dance with you! Dimitri would keep you to himself all night!" Sylvain exclaimed, twirling Byleth. This notion made her blush immensely, which did not escape Sylvain's notice. Seeing this, he could not help but laugh as he twirled her around once more. When they came back together, he looked over Byleth's shoulder and nodded.

"Well, seems like it's time to pass you on! Get ready to spin over to Felix in three…two…"

"Sylvain, wait!"

"One!" He exclaimed as he spun her out of his arms and into Felix's waiting, open arms.

"Your grace! Nice of you to drop by!" Felix stated.

"Felix did you…did all of you plan this?" Byleth asked in shock as they rocked back and forth.

"Well, we all wanted a chance to dance with you! Plus…" He paused as he gently spun her, "We wanted to have a little bit of fun teasing the boar prince tonight." He smiled wickedly, making Byleth burst out into laughter.

Across the room, Dimitri heard her and looked up from Annette to watch.

"Ouch! Dimitri, you're holding on too tight!" Annette cried.

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry Annette, I just—"

"I knoooow," The auburn-headed girl began, "You'll get your chance to dance with her soon enough! We just all wanted our turns with you both first!"

Dimitri sighed. He knew his friends had no malicious intent, and he did enjoy dancing with them as well. He was just anxious to spend some alone time with Byleth.

"So why haven't you proposed yet?" Annette asked, bluntly. Dimitri, shocked that she would bring such a sensitive topic up in such a place, froze unable to respond. As if on cue, the waiter returned with another drink for Dimitri which he took a hurried gulp before attempting an answer.

"Well…the time hasn't been right yet, I suppose…" Annette was visibly displeased with this answer.

"I tried last night, and then she passed out. And every time since, things have kept getting in the way." Dimitri looked down out of embarrassment. How could he claim to love Byleth so much when he could not even find the time to tell her how he feels?

"Do it tonight."

"What?" Dimitri was taken aback by the suggestion.

"Tonight is a happy occasion for you both! Why not make it even happier?" Annette smiled sincerely.

"I agree! Dimitri, you should do it tonight!" Mercedes said from behind him, making him jump.

"Seriously, we're all tired of waiting." Manuela hiccuped from the side, two drinks in her hand.

"Yeah, just do it your majesty! We believe in you!" Ingrid added in as her and Sylvain danced by.

Dimitri is suddenly swarmed by several of Byleth's female friends, all encouraging him to muster up the courage to ask for her hand. Suddenly, he was starting to think that all of this might have been planned out.

Byleth, who was now dancing with Dedue, looked over to the gaggle of women surrounding Dimitri. _"I always knew he would be popular with women, and now that he's king…"_ Her thoughts trailed off. Sighing, she returned her glance to Dedue who was smiling down at her.

"Do not worry, your grace. It is not what you think it is." Dedue's calmness and sincerity made her believe him and brought Byleth back to the current moment. She began to smile again, embracing the event, as they waltzed to the other side of the room where Ashe was waiting to switch off.

"Fine! I'll do it tonight!" Dimitri shouted as he tried to break free from the surrounding women. They all smiled and rejoiced at this answer and began clearing out to return to their party activities.

"Good! Now go get her, and then let us know how it goes!" Annette said as she pushed him toward Byleth and Ashe.

Dimitri cleared his throat, straightened his cloak, grabbed another drink from a nearby waiter's tray, and began walking toward the love of his life. Ashe and Byleth spun around to face him, but before they could be reached, Claude squeezed in between the two and outstretched his hand to Byleth.

"Teach, if I may. I have something I need to talk to you about." He winked. Byleth, finally caught up in the moment and the alcohol, took Claude's hand and was whisked away to the center of the dance floor.

Once again, Dimitri was left standing there flabbergasted.

"I'm sorry, your majesty." Ashe said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll still get your chance!"

All Dimitri could do in response was nod as he watched the two of them spin around the room, smiling and laughing. How he wished that could be him in her arms instead of Claude. He noticed Claude leaning over to whisper something into Byleth's ear, immediately lighting up her face. She quickly embraced him and the two moved off to the side of the dance floor to talk. Having seen enough, Dimitri picked Ashe's hand from his shoulder and made his way outside.

"Poor Dimitri…" Ashe said sadly as Sylvain and Felix popped up behind him.

"Eh, don't worry, he'll find out soon enough." As Sylvain said this, the group noticed Byleth wave goodbye to Claude and then hurry outside to catch up with the poor king.

"See?"

* * *

Entering the courtyard, Byleth found a deposed Dimitri twirling a rose between his fingers.

"Dimitri! What are you doing out here?" Byleth quickened her step to get to him faster.

Her presence startled Dimitri, causing him to blush out of embarrassment. "Oh, I was just feeling a little…overwhelmed…"

"I understand that. It's been a busy night." Byleth said, sidling up next to him. Noticing her closeness, Dimitri turned away, still hurt and confused at what he had just witnessed. Byleth also picked up a rose from the nearby bush and began to twirl it. "You'll never guess what Claude just told me." She said with a smile.

"Do I even want to know?" Dimitri growled underneath his breath.

Byleth, too tipsy and high on life, dismissed it and continued, "He told me that he's going to propose to Hilda! Isn't that exciting?"

Dimitri looked up, suddenly feeling a bit lighter, "Hilda? Not you?"

Byleth turns to look at Dimitri with a confused expression, "No, not me? He has been wanting ask Hilda for quite some time now, but now that he's all settled in Almyra he figured that it was finally time."

Dimitri sighs a heavy sigh of relief and turns his head slightly toward her. "That's…great news."

"Yeah…it is…" Byleth trailed off as she watched his face outlined in the moonlight. For a few moments, the two stood there, admiring the other's presence and enjoying this quiet time that they finally had together. Eventually, the silence was broken by an awkward chuckle from both parties and the start of a new piece from the orchestra inside. It was a slower, elegant waltz and as the notes drifted into the courtyard, Byleth began to speak.

"You know…we haven't gotten to dance yet." Byleth smiled coyly.

"No, I suppose we haven't…shall we head back inside?" Dimitri suggested as he turned toward the entrance.

"Dimitri?"

"Yes?"

"What if we just…stayed out here? We can still hear the music just fine, and…" embarrassed at her proposition, she looked toward the sky, "it's a beautiful night."

Dimitri stopped, stunned for a moment, before quickly comes back to her. He gently placed a hand on her waist and lifted his other hand up, ready to receive hers when she was ready. "I'm sorry to say that I'm not the most spectacular dancer. Particularly in comparison to some of your other partners from this evening."

Smiling, Byleth placed her hand on his shoulder, "I don't care."

Almost in time with the building accelerando of the music, Byleth placed her hand in his. Once their hands were completely locked within each other's, the waltz began at its new tempo. Despite the quietness of the music, Dimitri and Byleth could not care less. They were together, and that was the only thing in the world that could matter right now.

Under the moonlight, the couple danced all over the gardens: spinning, swooping and laughing. Dimitri tried several lifts throughout the piece, and while not at all graceful, made Byleth laugh which was more than enough reason for Dimitri to keep doing them. They danced the entire duration of the piece, slowly getting closer and closer to one another with every spin or silly lift.

Just as the music was about to meet its dramatic end, Dimitri braced himself for their big finish. As the last chords were struck, Dimitri spun Byleth one last time before taking her in his arms and dipping her. Byleth could only muster a surprised giggle as this happened, enjoying the silliness of the moment. All of a sudden, she stopped once she became aware of how close they were.

As clapping could be heard from inside the reception hall, the two remained in that position for several seconds, breathing in each other's presence. Slowly, Dimitri brought Byleth back to her feet without removing his eye from hers, desperately wanting to close the gap between them once and for all. Hesitantly, he gently placed a delicate hand on her cheek.

"Byleth, there's…something I would like to talk to you about…" He trailed off as he stroked her cheek.

"I have something…to talk to you about too." Byleth said, her voice trembling. She took Dimitri's hand from her check, intertwining his fingers with her own. Slowly, Byleth stepped forward to get even closer to Dimitri, tilting her head up slightly as she moved. She had never done anything like this before, so she was not even sure that she was doing it correctly. Dimitri leaned his head down to almost meet hers.

"Byleth, I-I"

"_Byleth! The sky!"_ Sothis shouted.

Before Dimitri could continue, Byleth shot her head up the sky, noticing several large streaks of light falling from it.

"Dimitri!" She commanded, directing his attention upwards.

"Huh?" He asked as he tilted his head up. Seeing the lights, his eyes widened with fear.

The spears of light were falling straight toward the monastery.

* * *

A/N: WOW! That was a long one! I was thinking about breaking this one up into two chapters, but I decided against it. There was no good spot in the action to do it, plus I didn't want to stop writing! I hope you enjoyed it! A slight update: I'm going to go back and add chapter titles to all the previous chapters! Why I didn't do it before, I'm not sure, but you know. Might as well!

As always, thank you for reading! This chapter was a lot of fun to write, so I hope you enjoyed it as well!


	9. Warning Shot

_A/N: HEY! Before you get reading this new chapter, I just wanted to let you know that there have been updates to all previous chapters! Most of the stuff fixing tense shifts, as well as cleaning up some of the sentences and grammar. There was also the addition of a small mention of the Ashen Wolves. Plot-wise, everything has stayed the same. However, if you want to refresh yourself on the previous chapters, there are a few tiny new things to see! Enjoy!_

**The Corruption Within**

_Chapter 9—Warning Shot_

_"We have to evacuate, NOW." Dimitri roared. He quickly pulled away from Byleth's arms and sprinted inside to warn the partygoers, leaving Byleth in his wake._

_"Well? Move!" __Sothis screamed, but Byleth could not hear her. She was frozen in place. Her eyes were wide with fear and gleamed with the reflection of the spears of light as they spiraled ever closer to Garreg Mach. She could not move, she could not hear, she could not breath._

_ "__Byleth, you must move! Go!" __Sothis urged, but to no avail.__She was stuck._

_"Come now, my child. There is little to be afraid of." A calming voice said from behind. Snapping her out of her trance, Byleth spun around to face Rhea who had just emerged from the reception hall. _

_Returning to her sense, Byleth could hear the commotion going on inside: people shouting and panicking all while Dimitri tried his best to calmly command the crowd to stay put._

_"Rhea, why—why aren't we running away?" Byleth questioned, as she started walking toward the reception hall. Before she could get too far, Rhea placed a firm hand on her shoulder._

_"Garreg Mach is a sacred place. Had this attack been initiated by any mortal man or were these pillars of light caused by any normal magic, we would have to defend it ourselves as we have done in the past." Rhea turned Byleth back around to have her face toward the sky. The pillars of light were still falling toward the monastery, growing dangerously closer with every passing second. Feeling their impact was imminent, Byleth tightly shut her eyes preparing for the worst. _

_"Open your eyes, Byleth." Rhea whispered. Byleth did as she was told and opened her eyes, only to find the pillars of light that had threated her life and the lives of her friends had vanished upon hitting a magical shield that surrounded the monastery. _

_"But how?" Byleth exclaimed, too confused to notice that Dimitri had rejoined them. _

_"Since the construction of Garreg Mach, special preventative measures have been taken in order to protect it from this type of magic, specifically. It is ancient, dark magic, not seen for ages. Until now." Rhea's face darkened. _

_"Rhea, we are safe now, correct?" Dimitri asked._

_"Safe for now, it seems. I have reason to believe that this was merely a warning shot. If these are the same foes we have dealt with before, then they know that they could not hit Garreg Mach. I believe that they only meant to frighten us." Rhea turned toward Byleth, "And to let us know that they are coming. Maybe not now, but soon."_

_"Foes we have dealt with before…you don't mean-" Byleth began._

_"Yes, my child. It is Those Who Slither in the Dark. It seems that though the empire was destroyed, that did not hinder them too much and are now working on their own." Rhea concluded, her face returning to the sky once more. _

_ "Their numbers had to have dwindled over the course of the war though, correct?" Dimitri asked, panic seeping into his voice._

_"Some have perished, of course. But we do not know of any troops or generals they may have kept on reserve." Byleth responded. Dimitri's gaze drifted to her for a moment. Byleth's demeanor had greatly changed since he held her in his arms. Of course, the situation was dire, yet he noticed something else within her. True fear._

_"Byleth, is something the matter?" Dimitri asked, placing a concerned hand on her shoulder._

_"You must tell them of your recent ailments. It seems as though these occurrences may be linked."__ Sothis advised. _

_"I…since last night, when I passed out, I've been having this weird feeling in my chest. Like something is trying to grip onto my heart and tear it out of me. I also had the strangest dream. I was surrounded by darkness and it sounded like I was being chased, but I never saw my pursuer. Again, I felt a pain rip through my chest." Byleth turned her back to Dimitri and Rhea. _

_She felt silly confessing all of tis to them. She rarely bore her fears so broadly. She was supposed to be the strong one. She was supposed to help others. Instead, she was venting to her companions without even knowing if this was helpful or not._

_"I-I don't know how any of this could be related, but since then, I've felt like something was off. When those pillars of light began to fall, I froze. I couldn't do anything." Byleth solemnly concluded._

_Dimitri stood in shock. He had no idea that Byleth had been struggling so much just over the past 24 hours. Shamefully, he bowed his head. _

_"How could I have been so selfish?" __he thought, __"All I thought about this whole time was proposing." __Suddenly, the ring in his pocket felt heavier than had before as it was beginning to be more of a burden than a blessing._

_ "My dear professor," Rhea began as she approached the defeated Byleth. She placed a delicate hand on her shoulder and spun Byleth around. Rhea moved her hand from her shoulder to her cheek, beginning to stroke it gently. When Byleth finally looked up at Rhea, she could see that her eyes were filled with sorrow and regret. She could sense that the time had come for some unwanted, but necessary truth to be revealed. A truth that could change her life, either for the better or the worse._

_"There is so much I have to tell you."_

_A/N: Here it is! After a long hiatus, it appears I'm back. With all the COVID-19 stuff happening, I have found myself having a bit more time to write! I hope to continue this story, but if I end up disappearing for a while again, I apologize in advance! Anyway, despite it being a bit shorter, I hope you have enjoyed the return to this story! I'll hopefully have more to come very soon._


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